Retirees Activity Corner

Deadline Extended

The deadline for Iraq veterans with unexplained illnesses to qualify for VA compensation and survivor benefits has been extended to the end of 2016. The move covers veterans from either the Iraq War or the 1990-1991 Gulf War who have clear service-related illnesses without a clearly defined diagnosis. Congress put the rule in place in 1994 in response to reports of Gulf War Illness, mysterious and crippling medical symptoms for which experts have yet to find a unifying link. The move ensures that veterans receive disability payments and access to other VA programs while department researchers continue to investigate the cause of the problems. The policy covers, among other ailments, a host of unexplained skin disorders, neurologic symptoms, respiratory issues and other chronic pain problems experienced by troops who served in the more recent Iraq conflict. Veterans who believe they qualify for these benefits can contact VA at (800) 827-1000.

Expansion at Arlington

Arlington National Cemetery’s first major construction project in eight years is a 20,000-niche columbarium, which will extend the life of the cemetery to 2024. Construction on the ninth columbarium at ANC begins this month with a completion date in 2013. The new columbarium will be almost the length of two football fields. The cemetery also plans to expand its grounds on two sides by another 70 acres. That will further extend the cemetery's ability to handle inurnments, burials and possibly mausoleums out to the 2050s. Officials also noted two other expansion opportunities. One project is a 30-acre combination of land acquired from Fort Myer and the National Park Service and existing ANC land that will increase in-ground and niche burial capability. A second expansion includes a 40-acre plot presently occupied by the Navy Annex on the south side of the cemetery.

Two retirement campuses

For more than 150 years, veteran Airmen, Marines, Sailors and Soldiers have been welcome at the Armed Forces Retirement Home's two campuses. The sprawling campus in Northwest Washington, D.C., across from the VA Medical Center, and the new Gulfport, Miss., complex, provides services and amenities rivaling those found throughout the United States. For those who meet the eligibility requirements, there are no initiation or registration fees. In Washington, residents have private, air-conditioned single rooms. Average room size is approximately 130 square feet plus a bathroom, shower and walk-in closet. Each resident has a single bed, desk, chair and reading lamp. Bed linens and towels are laundered by a contractor. Personal furnishings and small refrigerators are allowed. Each room is also wired for cable and telephone, which if desired, must be paid for by the resident. Smoking is permitted in designated residents‘ rooms and smoking areas. Non-smoking floors are available. At Gulfport, private, air-conditioned single rooms average 450 square feet plus a bathroom, shower and closet. Each resident has a bed, night stand, armoire, dining table with chairs, love seat and lounge chair. Personal furnishings, such as computers and microwaves, are allowed. Cable TV and telephone expenses are borne by the residents. Smoking is not permitted in the facility. Visit http://www.afrh.gov online or call (800) 422-9988 for more information.

The Retiree Activities Office is open from 10 a.m.-3p.m. Monday-Friday. Visit our office at Colorado and D Street, call us at 301-981-2726, or email us at raoandrews.af.mil. Calling the office prior to visiting is recommended to ensure someone is on duty. The RAO also has a website at www.andrews.af.mil, click on "Retirees" on the right side of the page. There you will find a wealth of information that might be of interest to you. Copies of "Retiree Activities Corner" articles are online as well. Go to the retirees webpage and find information under the heading "Newspaper Column."